Title: Shame
Author: Froxyn
Rating: FRT
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Timeline: S6’ish, AU.
No Riley, no Dawn, no death of Buffy, no leaving of Giles.
Synopsis: Romance is hard for a Watcher...and a Slayer.
Author’s
Note: Album fic. Song and lyrics can be found here.
Buffy stared at her
boyfriend as he walked out of the living room and opened the front door. Ex-boyfriend, she corrected herself as he
closed the door behind him. She thought
things had been going well...obviously, she was mistaken. If she had been correct, she wouldn’t be
standing here by herself and listening to him start his car and pull out of her
driveway.
Just like that it was
over. Bitter and cold...he hadn’t even
given an explanation. She clenched her
jaw, refusing to let the tears fall, and climbed the stairs. She made her way down the hall and opened her
bedroom door.
She didn’t bother
with the light, just slipped inside and closed the door before collapsing onto
the bed. Only when the thought that he
wasn’t the first man, human or not, who wasn’t good to her crossed her mind did
the tears finally break free.
She curled up on her
side, holding her pillow tight to her chest...thankful that she’d left the
light off.
* * *
Giles had tried
again, against his better judgement. His
track record really wasn’t all that great.
Jenny had been murdered, he’d had a drugged one-night stand with Joyce,
Olivia had decided that it would just be easier if she stayed away...
His life wasn’t
really all that conducive to healthy and happy romantic relationships. But when he met her, he had decided to try
again.
The first two dates
had been nice...dinner, movie, bubbling conversation. She had a nice sense of humour...one that
complimented his own. And on the third
date, she suggested that they go back to his place and talk some more. He agreed, not realizing that going back to
his place to talk some more was a veiled euphemism for going back to his place
and making love in front of the fire.
Not that he minded at
all at the time.
But, then...two weeks
later, his real life stepped in and threw a spanner in the works...as per
usual. He sighed sadly as she explained
that she couldn’t have a relationship with him until she came to terms that
vampires were real...demons were real...and he was directly involved in all
that encompassed.
And he stood in his
doorway and watched her pull away, more certain now than he was an hour earlier
that there was no one for him. At
least...not in a romantic sense.
* * *
Giles opened his
door, arching an eyebrow at his visitor.
“You knocked?”
“Oh...” Buffy glanced into the living room and
shrugged a shoulder. “I wasn’t sure if
Vanessa was here or not. Um...I can come
back later...”
When she started to
back away from the door, he reached out and quickly wrapped his fingers around
her wrist. “Please come in.”
Buffy’s eyes
widened. “Giles! You can’t invite people in, you know better!”
He smiled and glanced
at his hand, still wrapped around her wrist.
“I can feel your pulse, Buffy.
Please...come inside and tell me what’s on your mind.”
“Are you expecting
Vanessa to come by or anything?” She
asked softly.
Giles’ smile faded
and he shook his head as he gently pulled her over the threshold. “No.
No, I’m not.”
She heard the sadness
in his voice and looked up at him, tilting her head as he dropped his keys onto
the desk. “Were you going somewhere?”
He nodded slowly and
walked over to the couch, sighing as he sat down. “I was going to see you.”
“Me?” She asked softly and sat down next to
him. “What’s wrong?”
“I, uh...” He met her eyes and then glanced at the
clock. “Didn’t you have a date tonight?”
Buffy lowered her
eyes and sat back against the cushions.
“Yeah, well...that didn’t go as planned.”
She looked back up to
find his warm green eyes full of concern.
“Wyatt broke up with me tonight.”
“Oh. Buffy, I’m sorry.” He whispered sincerely, pulling her into a
hug.
She held him back for
a few moments before pulling back slightly and looking up at him. “Why were you coming to see me?”
He shrugged a
shoulder and exhaled deeply. “For the
same reason that you came to see me.”
“Wyatt broke up with
you too?” She asked, a hint of a smile
playing on her lips.
“No, but Vanessa
did.” He replied quietly. “I’d forgotten until just now that you were
supposed to be on a date.”
The hint of a smile
disappeared as she moved a comforting hand to the side of his face. “Are you okay?”
“It wasn’t unexpected,
Buffy.” He said, giving her a gentle
smile as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Are you alright though?”
She smiled and gave
him a nod. “It wasn’t unexpected,
really. Did...did you love her?”
He thought for a
moment and then shrugged a shoulder as she lowered her hand. “It was too early to tell. Maybe I would have eventually. Did, uh...did you love him?”
“I don’t think
so.” She answered after a brief
hesitation. “I liked him, but...I’m not
sure if he was love potential. I’m not
sure anyone is love potential for me.”
“Nor for me.” Giles agreed.
They sat there
quietly for a while, content with the silence...and the comfort that came with
it.
* * *
Three months later...
Giles cursed himself softly
as he fumbled with his tie. “I must be a
bloody fool for doing this again.”
The doorbell rang and
he cursed again, glancing at the clock.
He slipped on his jacket and opened the door, taking a deep breath as he
met her eyes.
Buffy smiled as she looked
up at him. “Am I too early?”
Giles returned her
smile, relaxing as he softly invited her in...to where a candlelit dinner
awaited them. She shook her head in
amusement and stepped over the threshold.
“What have I told you
about inviting people in after dark?”
He chuckled and
closed the door. “I heard you gasp when
I opened the door.”
“Well, if you didn’t
look so good, I wouldn’t have gasped...and then you might’ve been inviting a
vampire into your home.”
Giles laughed
heartily. He had a good feeling about
this attempt at romance. And judging by
the look in her eyes, so did she. It was
just a shame that they each had to deal with so much disappointment before
seeing what was right in front of them.
~ End